Query processing

Abstract

A method includes associating an identifier with a plurality of business listings, receiving a first query, generating a second query based at least in part on the first query, the second query including at least one word included in the first query, and selecting a subset of business listings based at least in part on the second query. The method also includes providing the subset of business listings such that the subset of business listings is configured to be displayed in a ranked order. In such methods, the ranked order is based at least in part on respective levels of relatedness between the second query and listings included in the subset of business listings.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method, comprising:
 receiving, with a server, a plurality of business listings, each listing of the plurality of business listings including information identifying a respective business entity; 
 associating, within a memory associated with the server, an identifier with each listing of the plurality of business listings, each respective identifier being indicative of information included in listings of the plurality of business listings associated with the respective identifier, wherein the associating comprises comparing, with the server, the information included in each listing of the plurality of business listings with other information included in one or more other business listings; 
 receiving, with the server and via a network, a first query, the first query including a word; 
 generating, with the server, a second query based at least in part on the first query and on a query rule set stored within the memory, the second query including at least one word included in the first query; 
 comparing the second query with at least a first subset of business listings included in the plurality of business listings; 
 receiving, with the server and via the network, metadata comprising contextual information associated with the first query, wherein the metadata is received without user input; 
 selecting, based at least in part on the comparing and the contextual information, a second subset of business listings included in the at least the first subset of business listings; and 
 providing the second subset of business listings configured to be displayed in a ranked order, wherein the ranked order is based at least in part on respective levels of relatedness between the second query and each listing included in the second subset of business listings. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein information included in each listing of the plurality of business listings comprises text describing at least one of goods and services provided by a particular business entity identified by the information included in the listing, the method further comprising:
 identifying, with the server, a deficiency in the information included in the listing; and 
 augmenting, with the server and in response to the identifying, the information included in the listing with additional information retrieved via an automated search. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein associating the identifier with each listing of the plurality of business listings comprises associating a first identifier with a first listing of the plurality of business listings, the method further comprising:
 associating, within the memory, a second listing of the plurality of business listings with the first identifier; and 
 associating, within the memory, a second identifier different from the first identifier with a third listing of the plurality of business listings, wherein
 the second identifier is indicative of information included in the third listing, and 
 the first and second identifiers are generated by the server. 
 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first query comprises one of text entered by a user via an electronic device remote from the server, and a voice command entered by the user via the electronic device. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the query rule set comprises a list of stop words, and 
 generating the second query comprises removing a stop word included in the list of stop words from the first query. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first query comprises a first word and a second word, 
 the first word and the second word are arranged in a first order in the first query such that the first word precedes the second word, and 
 the query rule set comprises a command executable by the server to maintain the first word and the second word in the first order in the second query. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 comparing the second query includes determining a plurality of relatedness values, each value of the plurality of relatedness values being indicative of a level of relatedness between the second query and a respective listing included in the second subset of business listings, and 
 the second subset of business listings is selected based at least in part on the plurality of relatedness values. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein selecting the second subset of business listings includes
 selecting a first business listing having a highest value of the plurality of relatedness values, and 
 selecting a second business listing having a sequentially second highest value of the plurality of relatedness values. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the comparing the second query includes
 matching at least one word included in the second query with a corresponding word of a particular business listing included in the first subset of business listings, and 
 determining a relatedness value corresponding to the particular business listing based at least partly on matching the at least one word. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , further including omitting a business listing from the second subset of business listings based at least in part on the contextual information. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , further including
 receiving, with the server and via the network, an indication of a selection of one of the business listings included in the second subset of business listings, and 
 storing, in the memory and at least partly in response to receiving the indication, information indicative of:
 the first query, 
 the second subset of business listings, and 
 the selection. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , further including adding text included in the second query to the one of the business listings at least partly in response to receiving the indication. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 identifying a pattern associated with pages of a website; 
 identifying the pages of the website as including product information or service information based at least in part on the pattern; and 
 forming at least one business listing using the product information or the service information. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the pattern is based on at least one of page density, page weight, or page format. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 identifying a pattern associated with text included in a page of a website, the pattern indicating contact information associated with a first business entity corresponding to the website; and 
 adding the contact information to a first listing of the plurality of business listings associated with the first business entity. 
 
     
     
       16. A system, comprising:
 a server; and 
 memory associated with the server, the memory storing a plurality of business listings and instructions which, when executed by the server, cause the server to perform operations including:
 associating, within the memory, an identifier with the plurality of business listings, the identifier being indicative of information included in the plurality of business listings, wherein the associating comprises comparing information included in each listing of the plurality of business listings with other information included in one or more other business listings; 
 receiving, via a network, a first query, the first query including a word; 
 generating a second query based at least in part on the first query and on a query rule set stored within the memory, the second query including at least one word included in the first query; 
 receiving, with the server and via the network, metadata comprising contextual information associated with the first query, wherein the metadata is received without user input; 
 selecting a subset of business listings included in the plurality of business listings, wherein the subset of business listings is selected based at least in part on the second query and the contextual information; and 
 providing the subset of business listings via the network such that the subset of business listings is configured to be displayed in a ranked order, wherein the ranked order is based at least in part on respective levels of relatedness between the second query and each listing included in the subset of business listings. 
 
 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the operations further include
 identifying, with the server, a deficiency in the information included in the listing; and 
 augmenting, with the server and in response to the identifying, the information included in the listing with additional information retrieved via an automated search. 
 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the operations further include
 determining a plurality of relatedness values, each value of the plurality of relatedness values being indicative of a level of relatedness between the second query and a respective listing included in the subset of business listings, and 
 wherein selecting the subset of business listings includes
 selecting a first business listing having a highest value of the plurality of relatedness values, and 
 selecting a second business listing having a sequentially second highest value of the plurality of relatedness values. 
 
 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the operations further include
 receiving, via the network, an indication of a selection of one of the business listings included in the subset of business listings; 
 receiving, via the network, a request for information related to the one of the business listings; and 
 providing, via the network, the identifier at least partly in response to the request. 
 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the operations further include
 receiving, via the network, an indication of a selection of one of the business listings included in the subset of business listings; 
 storing, in the memory and at least partly in response to receiving the indication, information indicative of:
 the first query, 
 the subset of business listings, and 
 the selection; and 
 
 modifying the one of the business listings at least partly in response to receiving the indication. 
 
     
     
       21. A system, comprising:
 a server in communication with a network; and 
 memory associated with the server, the memory storing a plurality of business listings and instructions which, when executed by the server, cause the server to perform operations including:
 associating, within the memory, at least one identifier with each listing of the plurality of business listings, wherein the associating comprises comparing information included in each listing with other information included in one or more other listings; 
 receiving, via the network and from an electronic device remote from the server, a first query associated with the plurality of business listings; 
 receiving, via the network and from the electronic device, metadata comprising contextual information associated with at least one of the electronic device and the first query, wherein the metadata is received without user input; 
 generating a second query based at least in part on the first query and on a query rule set stored within the memory, the second query including at least one word included in the first query; 
 selecting a subset of business listings included in the plurality of business listings, wherein the subset of business listings is selected based at least in part on the second query and the contextual information; and 
 providing the subset of business listings via the network such that the subset of business listings is configured to be displayed on the electronic device in a ranked order, wherein the ranked order is based at least in part on respective levels of relatedness between the second query and each listing included in the subset of business listings. 
 
 
     
     
       22. The system of  claim 21 , wherein the contextual information includes at least one of a geographic location of the electronic device, a time of day at which the first query was received at the electronic device, an indication of time included in the first query, and an indication of an event included in the first query. 
     
     
       23. The system of  claim 22 , wherein the operations further include omitting a business listing from the subset of business listings based at least in part on the contextual information.